FUNCTIONALIST Flashcards
social solidarity
is the idea of a well-integrated functioning society where all members have been socialised into its shared norm) s and values.
The functionalist theory of education: definition
Functionalists argue that education is an important social institution that helps meet the needs of society and maintain stability. We are all part of the same organism, and education performs the function of creating a sense of identity by teaching core values and allocating roles.
value consensus
a shared set of norms and values everyone agrees on and is expected to commit to and enforce. For functionalists, society is more important than the individual. Consensus values help establish a common identity and build unity, cooperation, and goals through moral education.
hidden cirriculum
means the informal learning processes that happen in school It is a side effect of education that teaches students the norms and values of society.
Particularistic Values
means values and Rules which only apply to that particular Person in a given situation
(e.g. Home)
Universalistic Values
means values and rules which apply to all members of society equally
human capital
means the stock of knowledge, skills, values, habits and creativity that makes someone an economic asset to society
davis and moore - role allocation
Functionalists argue that schools also perform the function of selecting and allocating pupils to their future work roles. By assessing individuals’ aptitudes and abilities, schools help to match them to the job they’re best suited to. Davis and Moore see education as a device for selection and role allocation. They focus on the relationship between education and social inequality. They argue that inequality is necessary to ensure that the most important role s in society are filled by the most talented people. For example, it would be inefficient and dangerous to have less able people performing roles such as surgeon or airline pilot. Not everyone is equally talented, so society has to offer higher rewards for these jobs. This will encourage everyone to compete for them and society can select the most talented individuals to fill these positions. Education plays a key part in this process, since it acts as a proving ground for ability. Education is where individuals show what they can do. It ‘sifts and sorts’ us according to our ability. The most able gain the highest qualifications, which then gives them entry to the most important and highly rewarded positions.
schultz - developing human capital
This suggests that investment in education benefits the wider economy. Education can provide properly trained, qualified and flexible workforce. They argue that education makes sure that the best and most qualified people end up in jobs that require the most skill.
parsons - bridge between family and society
Parsons believed that schools provide a link between the family and wider society which allows students to move from the ascribed status and particularistic values of the home to the meritocratic and universalistic values of wider society.
Durkheim - socialisation & social solidarity
- Identified two main functions of education: creating social solidarity and teaching specialist skills.
- Firstly, Durkheim argues that society needs a sense of solidarity; that is, its individual members must feel themselves to be part of a single ‘body’ or community. He argues that without social solidarity, social life and cooperation.
- The education system helps to create social solidarity by transmitting society’s culture- its shared beliefs and values- from one generation to the next.
- For example, he argues that the teaching of a country’s history instils in children a sense of a shared heritage and a commitment to the wider social group.
- School also acts as a ‘society in miniature’, preparing us for life in wider society. For example, both in school and at work we have to cooperate with people who are neither family nor friends- teachers and pupils at school, colleagues and customers at work. Similarly, both in school and at work we have to interact with others according to a set of impersonal rules that apply to everyone.
- Secondly, specialist skills. Modern industrial economies have a complex division of labour, where the production of even a single item usually involves the cooperation of many different specialists.
- This cooperation promotes social solidarity but, for it to be successful, each person must have the necessary specialist knowledge and skills to perform their role.
- Durkheim argues that education teaches individuals the specialist knowledge and skills that they need to play their part in the social division of labour.
Eval (Wolf review of vocational education 2011)
- This undermines Durkheim’s view that the education system teaches specialist skills as it claims that high-quality apprenticeships are rare and up to a third of 16-19 years oldsare on courses that do not lead to higher education or even good jobs.
Eval (Melvin Tumin)- davis & moore
Criticised them for putting forward a ‘circular argument’: how do we know a job is important? Because it’s highly rewarded. Why are some jobs highly rewarded? Because they’re important!
Interactionist’s criticism of functionalists
Functionalists have an over-socialised view of people as mere ‘puppets’ of society. Functionalists wrongly imply that pupils passively accept all that they are taught and never reject the schools values
Parsons Evaluation (bowls and ginits)
that the school is not meritocratic; equal opportunity does not exist. This is shown by Bowles and Gintis who describe the education system as a myth of meritocracy. This is due to many factors which can also affect achievement, e.g. class background, or ethnicity.
